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Thunder Lords
Borne of the Horus Heresy, sired from the linage of the savage and mighty Jaghatai Khan, the Thunder Lords are the inheritors of the once honored legacy of the XVIth Legion. These gold clad warriors fight to maintain the glorious legacy of the Great Crusade, conquering world after world, the phantom of the Luna Wolves forever coloring the Legion's perception of itself and its mission to restore the Imperium to its greatest glory following the ultimate betrayal by the warriors who once proudly bore the title of Sixteenth Legion. The Thunder Lords are therefore fierce and unrelenting, even by the vaunted standards of the Legio Astartes, second only to the Sons of Russ in terms of ferocity and fury. But the Thunder Lords are far from undisciplined brutes, for while they are but a few thousand, they strike with the force of Legions easily twice their size. It is through the doctrines of their gene-father and ruthless discipline that the Thunder Lords have managed such astonishing success, their forces endlessly sweeping over world after world, bringing all that was once lost back into the Imperial fold and planting the Imperial flag on worlds that no man has ever set foot upon. In this way, they bring great honor to the Khagan, and work to redeem the stain placed upon the XVIth Legion. Considered savage and ruthless by those who have felt their chainswords and been witness to their brutal mechanized assaults, the Thunder Lords are known for their utter lack of mercy or remorse. Their Legionaries are drilled and trained to an exacting standard that sees them become exceptionally disciplined and duty oriented. This is due in part to the Sixteenth Legion's excruciating selection process, which includes experimental psycho-surgery and indoctrination. Thus, the Legion prides itself on being so few, for the few potential Legionaries that survive to bear the sacred Thunderbolt seal of the Emperor are amongst the finest in all the Legions. Legion History The Siege of Terra The Great Scouring The Second Founding Legion Homeworld Notable Campaigns 'The Purge of Eternust- '''In the closing century of the Great Scouring, the forces of the Thunder Lords, Wolf Brothers, and Avenging Hawks cornered the rampaging hordes of the World Eaters and ruthless forces of the Iron Warriors. Both Traitor Legions had clashed over the world of Eternust for reasons unknown to the gathered loyalist forces, but the full force of all three of the new Legions was brought to bear against the foul Traitor Legions. Engaged upon the ruins of the Industrial World, the Traitor forces joined forces in the face of the hated Loyalists, and the brutal five month long Purge of Eternust began. Though the Eternust system was a considerable strategic asset, that was far from the primary reason for the deployment of three full Loyalist Legions. The primary goal of the Purge of Eternust was the outright execution of the Primarchs Perturabo and Angron respectively, who were both leading the forces of their Legions on this world. A savage, grinding war of attrition swallowed the world and several others within the Eternust system, with the Iron Warriors reinforced positions keeping the teaming ranks of the Wolf Brothers at bay and World Eaters strike forces stalling any of the Avenging Hawks Drop Assaults with the sheer ferocity of their counter assaults. Meanwhile, the Thunder Lords dedicated their forces to brutal fleet engagements with the Traitor fleets and lighting campaigns against their various outposts within the greater Eternust system. As the campaign ground on, the Avenging Hawks and Wolf Brothers chafed under one another's conflicting doctrines, the Avenging Hawks insisting on engaging the foe in what they considered tactically viable strikes against their infrastructure, while the Wolf Brothers insisted on directly engaging the areas of strongest resistance in ceaseless death or glory assaults. Both Legion Masters also consistently demanded that the Thunder Lords break off their frivolous rear actions and commit their forces to the main engagement, to which the IlKhan refused to respond. However, such fractures were also present within the ranks of the Traitor forces, for the Red Angel and his sons longed for still more blood and skulls, and would not be denied for long. Regardless Perturabo insisted on fortifying and outlasting the Loyalists until reinforcements from his Legion arrived. The Purge of Eternust came to a head during the climactic Skishis Depot Massacre, in which the forces of the Traitor Legions, led personally by their Primarchs, were forced into an open engagement upon the muddy fields before the great walls of the massive armory of the Skishis Depot. Built during the Great Crusade to the specifications Perturabo himself when his Legion conquered Eternust centuries ago, Skishis was a veritable fortress, capable of holding out for years, even against the joint siege of the Avenging Hawks and Wolf Brothers. However, on the eighth day of the siege, in the midst of a savage thunderstorm, Angron and his World Eaters destroyed a portion of the mighty fortress walls in a blood mad frenzy, their lust for Loyalist skulls overriding all reason. Led by their Daemon Primarch, the World Eaters poured forth like blood from the great breech in the walls, catching the Loyalists utterly by surprise. As the battle carried on however, Angron and his slathering spawn soon found themselves utterly surrounded, having driven deep into the heart of the Loyalist lines. Surrounded, and soon to be cut off, Angron and his madmen were oblivious to their impending destruction. But, to the fortune of his daemonic brother, Perturabo was not so blind, nor callous enough to leave his twisted kin to be surrounded and destroyed by massed Loyalist weapons. The Iron Warriors took to the field, their engineers desperately trying to repair the breech as their Battle-Brothers guarded it with their own bodies. Standing shoulder to shoulder with their Primarch, the Iron Warriors carved their way through the Loyalist ranks to act as a rearguard for their ravenous allies, rapidly fortifying their positions with whatever debris or corpses could be utilized in the mud and muck of the battlefield. Though certainly distracted by the hulking Daemon Primarch within their midst, the Loyalists were keen to exploit the breech, and soon the Iron Warriors gunlines were sorely tested, savage assaults from the Wolf Brother Sky Claws and Avenging Hawk Assault Marines desperately trying to hack through the stalwart traitor defense. But with support from his brother, it seemed as if Angron's rampage would go uncontested, his horde ripping their way through rank after rank of Legionaries, heedless of losses. It was only with a sudden clap of thunder that the tide turned. Fire rained down from the skies above, flashes silhouetting shapes in the thundering and raining clouds above. And with them came a voice, bellowing and harsh, through the vox channels of all on that bloody field of mud and carnage... "In the name of the Khagan, we bring the thunder!" The Stormbirds and Thunderhawks of the Thunder Lords fell from the sky, their weapons raining fire down upon the foe like the rain. The gunships tore great gashes in the tightly packed ranks of the Iron Warriors, and disgorged scores of the Sons of Khan directly into their midst, weapons at the ready. As Angron looked to the sky and bellowed challenge at the new foes, a trio of Thunderhawks split off from the murderous flock, and bared down on the Daemon Primarch. The withering barrage tore into the daemons and Legionaries at his feet, but the wounds sustained by the Red Angel were hardly a deterrent. As the Thunderhawks swooped low the ground, practically over the heads of the churning melee, the bay doors snapped open, and leaping out came the Jetbike borne warriors of the elite Ayanga Aduu, weapons roaring as the fell like lighting bolts into the traitor ranks. At their head was IlKhan Khargis Neg himself, soaring through the air, Plasma Cannon and dual Twin-Linked Bolters ablaze as he soared directly towards the bellowing Daemon Primarch, whose axe stroke smote one of the Thunderhawks as if it were an errant insect. The IlKhan roared a curse at the Red Angel as he swooped by, hurling his Power Spear, ''Ayangyn, ''at Angron. Though the spear struck true in the Daemon Primarch's heart, he smote the Jetbike in mid flight, casting the IlKhan to the churned ground, slick with mud and gore. The IlKhan rose from the muck, ''Ild Salkhi ''drawn and ''Oshoo leveled at the Daemon Prince, who rose his axes high and bellowed a bestial roar at the challenging Legion Master. The two charged forth to meet one another, the IlKhan's Volkite Serpenta spitting fire at the Daemon Primarch as he lunged forth with an axe stroke that would split a Baneblade in twain. Khargis held the blow aloft with his own Sabre, the master crafted blade straining as its master's super human strength struggled against the sheer force of the berzerker strike. Angron was barely hindered by this remarkable feat of strength, and with a swing of his other axe, struck the IlKhan across the chest, his Artificer Armor barely weathering the blow as it cast him from his feet and once again into the muck. His golden armor tarnished with gore and mud, the IlKhan rose as the Daemon Prince bore down on him, and the two once again clashed. This time though, Khargis fought as the wind, sidestepping the first blow of the Red Angel, and slashing across the Daemon Primarch's right eye, slicing down to the bone. For a time the two immortals battled savagely, the IlKhan matching Angron blow for blow, parrying and dodging what he could, whittling down the beast with a thousand cuts. Angron's body was drenched in his own blood, soaked in his bright, daemonic ichor, but he fought on, relentless, savage beyond all measure. Legion Gene-Seed Though certainly pure and viable, the Gene-Seed of the Thunder Lords carries with it a legacy of savagery and blood lust that permeates all Sons of Khan. While the White Scars themselves learn to master this inherent savagery and strike a balance, the Thunder Lords seem to simultaneously shun and embrace their barbaric heritage in equal extremes. The Legion is obsessed with discipline and structure, their personalities naturally craving order and precision. A Thunder Lord inherently views battle as a practice in the economy of force, trying to deal the most horrific damage with the fewest assets utilized. In this respect, the Thunder Lords reign in the inherent brutishness of their bloodline, striking only with purpose and poise. However, the Legion also deeply embraces the ruthlessness the Khagan is renowned for, relentlessly seeking to crush the enemy's will to fight. By instinct, every Thunder Lord will go for the jugular, both literally and figuratively, in every conflict. They are utterly without compassion or mercy, and will do whatever it takes to achieve total, unquestionable dominance over their foe. They are inexorable conquerors, brutal subjgators, and utterly vindictive foes, brooking not an iota of reservation when it comes to laying waste to all the foe holds dear. In this manner, they are unquestionably Sons of Khan, for they embrace this ruthless, barbaric lack of mercy wholly as a part of the very fabric of their Legion. It should come as no surprise then that the Legion's gene-seeding process is notoriously, some would even say unnecessarily, brutal and methodical. Only the strongest, most ruthless Aspirants survive to be considered worthy of carrying the Legion's colors into battle. Those who fall short are usually slain in ritual combat by their fellow Aspirants, examples of what awaits those who fail to uphold the brutal legacy of the Khagan. Legion Arsenal Being ancient even by the standards of the Legions and obsessed with the quality of their Legions forces, the Thunder Lords march into battle armed with only the finest and most venerable arms ever constructed by the Imperium of Man. In an age where much of the newer Legions are trending towards more conventional and easy to manufacture war machines and weapons for the sake of convenience, the Thunder Lords preserve and have produced for their ranks only the finest in ancient patterns of wargear. Volkite Weaponry, Graviton Guns, Land Speeders, Jetbikes, and various other examples of supremely advanced wargear are abundant within their ranks. The Legion is also keen on marching to battle clad in ancient suits of Power Armor, mostly of the iconic MkII Crusade and MkII Iron variants due to their proud legacy and considerable protection. However, the Legion is not opposed to utilizing more conventional wargear should the need arise, and are just as at home with a Bolter and Chainsword than any other Legionary of the Legio Astartes. It is more for the symbolic meaning these weapons impart that the Thunder Lords covet them so. By arming themselves with the weapons of the Unification Wars and ages of the First Great Crusade, they make clear the Legion's rallying belief. The Great Crusade is far from over. Legion Organisation The Thunder Lords Legion has structured itself more by the edicts of the Khagan than the Principia Belicosa, though elements of both seem to exist in equal measure. While the White Scars were more loose in their structure and more ritualistic in nature, the Thunder Lords adhere to a rigid and heavily reinforced method of operation. Their discipline and adherence to doctrine is matched only by the stalwart warriors of the Ultramarines and Imperial Fists. The Legion itself is split into eight Great Lances, equivalent to a traditional Chapter, with 1,000 battle-ready Legionaries. These are further divided into two Battalion Lances, each numbering five-hundred Legionaries, and finally down to the individual one-hundred man Lances. Each Great Lance is led by a mighty warlord known by the honored title of Khan, who commands his battalion commanders, known as SaKhans. Below the SaKhans are the GaKhan, who are in direct command of each individual Lance in a manner akin to a standard line Captain. Each individual squad is then led by an individual with equal rank to a traditional Sergeant, known as a BaKhan. Specialist units or designated strike teams may be led by an individual granted with the rank of Komandlagch, or simply Commander in Low Gothic. Such warriors are equally ranked with a traditional Centurion, though their level of authority varies depending on their assigned station. Some assignments are completely temporary as the situation demands, but to be the Komandlagch of an elite formation such as the Keshig is often a badge of great honor as only the IlKhan can appoint Battle-Brothers to such offices. It is known that within the ranks of the Thunder Lords promotion is a matter of martial feats and personal leadership ability, the Legion having no stomach for politicking or nepotism within the ranks. To be accused of such favoritism is enough to warrant a Zaan Du ''or duel to the death between Legionaries. Specialist Ranks/Formations Keshig The hand picked Honor Guard of the IlKhan, the Keshig of the Thunder Lords is a force spoken of in hushed whispers by the Imperium's citizenry. Clad in great golden and white suits of Terminator armor, or borne in a lance of shimmering Jetbikes, the Keshig have been declared undefeated in battle for well over ten-thousand years, matched by few foes in the history of the Legion. First and foremost it is the duty of the Keshig to preserve the life of the IlKhan, a task at which their prestigious order has yet to fail in spite of over ten-thousand years of near constant combat across the stars. Secondly, the Keshig is the IlKhan's personal strike force and enforcers of his will, what he commands, they make so. Armed with the finest wrought wargear the Legion has to offer and experienced well beyond the years of even the mightiest champions of the Great Lances, a lone Keshig is capable of feats of astounding battlefield prowess. But as a unit they are as the rolling thunder, crushing the foe under their armored boots or racing past them as if they were lighting given form, merciless and unrelenting as a typhoon's furious winds. Ayanga Aduu The chosen elite of the Thunder Lords Legion and often personal strike teams of the IlKhan himself, the Ayanga Aduu are a force of deadly Jetbike Astartes whose speed and raw destructive power is unlike anything seen amongst their fellow Legions. Outfitted with the Bullock Pattern Jetbike and the Legion's unique Shuurga Pattern Jetbike Chariots, the Ayanga Aduu race across the battlefield at breakneck pace, their shimmering golden mounts seen only in the foes last seconds as they are cut down by either heavy weapons fire or melee weaponry. A favored method of deployment for the Ayanga Aduu is the fabled "Thunderbolt Strike", in which three units of Ayanga Aduu deploy via a wing of three Thunderhawks from nape of the earth flight. As the Thunderhawks race over the ground, laying down a withering barrage of supporting fire, the bay doors open, and the Jetbikes launch themselves forth, soaring through the air with weapons blazing, before crashing into the enemy ranks. Ayanga Daichd Elite vanguard squads borne into battle in the Legion's famous Grav-Rhino and Grav-Raider squadrons, the Ayanga Daichd are the hammer blow to the spear thrust of the Ayanga Aduu. As their skimmer transports are much faster than any of the more conventional vehicles utilized by the Astartes Legions of the Imperium, the Ayanga Daichd is capable of moblizing a frightful amount of firepower at a moments notice, their Grav-Rhinos sweeping across the battlefield, gunners laying down a withering hail of Storm Bolter fire as their fellow Legionaires disembark with weapons at the ready. Even more devastating are the advanced Grav-Raiders, Land Raiders outfitted with anti-grav technology. Such behemoth war machines are capable of lumbering through the air at a considerable pace, spitting death from its various long range weapons and disgorging a unit of Terminators directly atop an enemy position. The Ayanga Daichd also makes use of more conventional craft, such as Predator Tank squadrons, Mastadon Heavy Transports and Stormbird transports, but all of these vehicles have been outfitted to move much faster and be more maneuverable than their standard counterparts. Generally speaking, Ayanga Daichd are deployed as the vicious vanguard, though they can be deployed in the reserve forces of more shrewd Khans, who wish to soften the enemy up with conventional line Legionaires before delivering the brutal thunderstroke. Ustgagch The Thunder Lords are one of the few remaining Legions to still utilize the infamous Legion Destroyer Squads, known amongst their ranks as the ''Ustgagch, named after the malevolent spirits of the Eight Winds in Emerisian lore. The Ustgagch exemplify the Legion's dual traits of ruthlessness and discipline, delighting in the raw havoc and bedlam their weapons create, but also of reserved and cold natures. Thus, they are often deployed as terror units, as their honor does not rankle at the use of their monstrous weaponry against soft targets such as civilians and enemy field hospitals. The general purpose of he Ustgagch is to strike a killing blow against the enemy's will to fight by so utterly destroying all that they held dear in a bombardment of radioactive shells and living Phosphex flames, crippling the foes fighting spirit and often their home field advantage. Ustgagch squads usually deploy via Shuurga Pattern Jetbike Chariots and modified Attack Bikes, each allowing the Ustgagch to rapidly smother the battlefield in a swath of horrific ruin, lobbing Phosphex grenades and radioactive Bolter shells into the foe's midst, igniting their ranks with beams of Volkite fire, utterly annihilating all that stood before them. Unlike most Legions, which view their Destroyers as tainted, the Thunder Lords hold them with special reverence, for they often sacrifice their longevity due to the toxic nature of their weapons. Such selfless devotion to the utter annihilation of the Emperor's foes is worthy of some of the highest honors the Legion can provide, and Ustgagch Legionaries are traditionally immortalized in great stone statues erected in the ashen wastes of Emeris, where the souls of these pitiless destroyers may forevermore overlook glorious burning fields of ash, forever a fearsome reminder of the fate that awaits those who defy the will of the IlKhan and Emperor. Kharash The disgraced and infirm, the Thunder Lords allow no weakness within their ranks and tolerate no failure. Those who have so disgraced the will of the IlKhan are formed into desperate suicide squads known as the Kharash, whose sole purpose on the field of battle is to preserve the lives of the honorable by throwing themselves into the teeth of the enemy. In survival or death, there is always the hope of redemption. Thus, the Kharash are traditionally armed almost exclusively with close combat weapons and either deployed via Drop Pod into the midst of the foe or given one final ride into battle atop Assault and Attack Bikes primed with explosive munitions, their death or glory charges burying them like a burning blade into the enemy's ranks before detonating in a glorious inferno. Legion Combat Doctrine Legion Culture Notable Thunder Lords IlKhan Khargis Neg A cold and ruthless warrior, some say bred in the Khagan's very image, Khargis Neg is the Legion Master, or IlKhan, of the Thunder Lords Legion and dubious recipient of the title of "The Scourge of the God-Emperor" by the Imperium's people. The IlKhan is one of the youngest of the Second Founding Legion Masters, and even now in the modern age of the 41st Millennium he retains a youthful visage of flowing black hair in a top knot and long flowing mustache, though this is likely more due to the enhancements he underwent prior to becoming the first and so far only IlKhan of the Thunder Lords. Gene-Seeded at the onset of the Horus Heresy, Khargis climbed the ranks of the White Scars Legion while in the most deadly combat with the vile Traitor Legions, and had caught the Great Khan's eye with his meteoric rise. As Jaghatai preferred the ways of the Chogorin warrior tribes, assigning rank to warriors based on their martial prowess and proven ability, he promoted this young Legionary from a mere line Sergeant of the 1st Brotherhood to his Keshig Honor Guard, placing faith in Khargis' stellar record of performance and marked zeal to taste the blood of the traitors. It was during the Siege of Terra that Khargis proved Jaghatai's faith to be well placed, for he alone slaughtered scores of traitor legionaries during the raid on the Lion's Gate Spaceport. For the rest of the siege, Khargis Neg was described as a blur, having been reportedly been seen all across the most grueling engagements in the defense of Lion's Gate, occasionally being reported as being at two different fronts at once. By the time the siege was over and the traitor rout had begun, the noble white armor of the young Keshig was almost totally covered in the viscera of his foes, putrid Death Guard flesh and crimson World Eater blood almost coating him in a single thick layer. He was plagued by innumerable minor injuries, and he had resorted to scavenging weapons from the fallen as his own wore out or were destroyed in ceaseless combat. But it was said that Khargis never tired, never slowed, and never relented. This was most evident when he stood directly beside the Khagan himself as he bellowed orders to the crew of the Swordstorm ''and the White Scars' fleet hunted down the routing traitors. It was said that Khargis only rested after being personally dismissed by Jaghatai Khan during the following Purge of Pluto, in which the young Legionary admitted to the Khagan, under duress, that he had not slept nor eaten since the Siege of Terra began. For such remarkable tenacity, even for a Son of Khan, Khargis Neg was chosen personally by the Great Khan to be the Legion Lord for the first generation of new Legionaries of the Second Founding. Khargis at first refused the assignment, citing that there were many much older and much wiser Legionaries, all much greater than he. But Jaghatai would not be denied, proclaiming that this new Crusade would need new warriors, young and full of zeal such as Khargis. And so the young Legion Lord became known as the IlKhan, which was an archaic Chogorin term for "New Khan". Since that day, IlKhan Khargis Neg has striven to be worthy of the Khagan's pride, striking with fearsome and swift fury in battle after battle, leading his Legion to great glory in the Emperor's name. Often he is overwhelmingly vindictive towards his enemies, seeking to utterly destroy their will to resist, and many consider him to be little better than a ruthless warlord. But there is a side of honor and stringent duty to the IlKhan, for he never spends his wrath freely, instead reserving his brutality and savagery as a weapon best loosed when the timing is flawless. He commands his Legion much in the same fashion, directing his warriors on the field of war in a manner akin to a man diverting a great river, creating cutting streams of its rushing, ceaseless power. It should be noted that the IlKhan has long kept true to the ancient Chogoran tradition of offering the foe to be conquered a chance at surrender. For the treasonous, this is usually a prelude to a merciful execution. Should the foe accept such terms of surrender, that which they hold dear, be it land or family, will be untouched. But should they rebuke the IlKhan's generous mercy, woe betide that which they fight to preserve, for he will destroy it utterly and with great relish. His chosen weapons of such brutality are his infamous Volkite Serpenta ''Oshoo ''and great Power Spear ''Ayangyn. Ayangyn ''is more glaive than spear, its wide, smiling blade capable of slicing through even the armor of tanks and transports with ease. ''Ayangyn ''also houses a Teleport Homer in its shaft, capable of summoning the IlKhan's Terminator armor clad Keshig to the field at a moments notice. Armed with such weapons and clad in his Artificer Power Armor ''The Cloak of the Lighting, ''IlKhan Khargis Neg rides into battle upon his customized Bullock Pattern Jetbike known as ''Naiman Dalavchin Mori ''(Horse of the Eight Winds) which comes armed with a spine mounted Plasma Cannon, two pairs of prow mounted Twin-Linked Bolters, and its own personal shimmering force field of unknown origin. The IlKhan may also deploy to the field of battle in his ancient suit of Cataphractii Pattern Terminator armor, known as the ''Gamshgiin Khuyag. ''When clad in such a mighty suit of armor, the IlKhan may opt to carry into battle his favored Power Sabre, ''Ild Salkhi ''in addition to a Plasma Blaster. Legion Relics Legion Fleet Legion Appearance Legion Colors The Thunder Lords ride into battle clad in the sacred gold of the Emperor himself, the color symbolic of the Legion's own perceived destiny as the bearers of the light of the Imperium as they continue the Great Crusade in the Emperor's name. Legionaries may also use white and crimson as well to denote certain stations and unique acheivements. For example, BaKhans tend to mark their right pauldron a bright white so their squad can identify them in a chaotic melee. Red is a color of special significance, and is only borne in the form of distinctive sashes and loincloths by those who have earned the honor in battle. To earn such a privilege, a Thunder Lords Legionary must have slain a tally of over one-hundred Traitor Marines in single combat, a feat seldom achieved by any warrior outside the ranks of the Keshig or Ayanga units. Legion Badge The Thunder Lords were granted the sacred privilege of carrying on the sacred Crossed Thunderbolt symbol of the nascent Imperium during the Unification Wars, a mark granted to them by the Khagan as the symbolic rekindling of the Great Crusade. Bearing this icon with utmost pride, the Thunder Lords constantly strive to bring honor to the legacy of the Imperium's chosen warriors, and emulate the glorious icons of the past, the Thunder Warriors. Studying closely the legends of the Unification Wars, the Thunder Lords often seek to match the tales of brutality and sheer might of the long lost Thunder Warriors, seeing their legacy as more pure than the tarnished and occasionally sordid history of the Legions. This sacred badge of the Imperium Resurgent, rests upon the glorious symbol of the Aquilla, the icon of the modern Imperium, the personification of the Emperor's vision. One head always looking forward to the future of mankind, the other with its eyes closed to the folly of the past, but turned there regardless, as if to impart the urgency of knowing the past, but not falling to his follies. Finally, resting at the top crux of the mighty Crossed Thunderbolts rests the sacred skull of the Imperialis, an icon that represents the eternal sacrifice of the almighty Emperor and those who died in the Imperiums wars since, and those who will pay the ultimate price in the wars to come. Legion Symbols/Marks '''Topknot- '''Legionaries of the Thunder Lords almost always wear their long black hair in a tall top knot, mimicking the ways of the nomadic tribes of Chogoris and Emeris. Amongst the tribes, a topknot is the sign of a free man and accomplished warrior, as captives taken in battle traditionally have their heads shaven to mark their shame. The Legion also sports the self same plumes upon their helmets, usually dying these topknots a radiant silver, the color of Emerian noble-born warriors. '''Red Sash/Loincloth- '''A unique honor mark that represents a Legionary's achievements in battle, a Thunder Lord is only permitted to adorn his armor with red fabric if he has killed over one-hundred Traitor Marines in single combat. Such a mark is seldom seen outside of elite formations, and for a line Legionary to bear it is almost unheard of. To bear the red of a Century Slayer is to be amongst the company of the most vaunted of the Thunder Lords ranks, and brings with it no small amount of respect and honor to the Legionary in question. '''Ritual Scars- '''While the White Scars they hail from mark themselves in long, jagged scars in the ways of the Chogorian tribesmen, the Thunder Lords have adopted what seems to be a much more utilitarian system of scarification. The ritual scars of a Thunder Lord are carried out in specific symbols and patterns which denote a specific statement or feat achieved. Such marks were adopted from the Emerian nomad tribes, specifically the ruthless marauding Kehrig peoples of the southern steppes, whose marks often have frightful and barbaric meanings. Amongst the Thunder Lords, the most common ritual scars are a trio of thunderbolt-like scars along the left cheek. These scars symbolize a Thunder Lord's first kill of a fellow Space Marine, traitor or otherwise, and is usually colored white with ash from the foe's ritually burned remains. '''Devotional Seals- '''Not unlike the more common purity seals which have become common as the Imperium moves more and more to a theocratic state, the Devotional Seals of the Thunder Lords are a far more ancient tradition, practiced by the wandering shamans of the Emerian wastelands. Long strips of parchment, upon which are scrawled wards of great mystical power, the Devotional Seals are traditionally used to mark a rare holy place or sacred burial ground where many men have died. As it is Emerian tradition to leave the dead where they fall and mark their resting place with small seal shrines, the Thunder Lords adorn their armor with such seals so that they may forever be ready to fall in battle should death come. Some Legionaries have a more macabre interpretation. As they are, in essence, living personifications of death, they come justly adorned with these seals reserved for places where many souls have departed from this world. Notable Quotes By About ''Feel Free to Add Your Own! Category:White Scars Successors